I looked at Damien sitting across from me, savoring this rare moment. A dinner for two, with no distractions, work, or secrets. Just the two of us.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" asked Damien, smiling slightly as he placed his wine glass on the table.

I smiled back and replied, "Am I not allowed to look at my lover's face?"

"I know that I'm handsome, but I'm not going anywhere. You don't have to stare at me like I'm going to disappear," he said with a chuckle.

My smile grew wider, even though in my heart I knew I was afraid he would disappear, leaving me behind.

"When was the last time we ate together like this?" I asked, playing with the tip of my fork.

Damien raised his eyebrows, seemingly in thought. "Two weeks ago?" he replied with a face that seemed to show confusion.

I chuckled and shook my head. "Two months ago."

He sighed softly, seemingly realizing his mistake. "I'm sorry, Althea. Work has been piling up, so I've been neglecting you lately," he replied as he reached for my hand and grasped it.

The classic answer. I've heard it too many times. However, tonight, I didn't want to argue about it.

"I understand," I said as I continued to look into his eyes, trying to convince myself that this was enough. That the time with him, although short, was still precious.

Suddenly, his cell phone lying on the table vibrated.

Quickly, Damien glanced at the screen and pulled his hand away. His expression immediately changed. His eyes widened slightly and then immediately grabbed the cell phone.

"One second," he said as he stood up, walking slightly away, but I could still hear his voice.

"Hello? What's wrong?" His tone was full of worry.

I sighed, stabbing at the piece of steak on my plate, with no intention of eating it.

"Hungry? Why not just order some food?" he asked. Then, after a few seconds of silence, he continued, "Are you sick?"

I stopped chewing. His tone of voice sounded worried.

'Sick? Who is he talking about?'

I furrowed my brows, trying to ask myself.

"Alright, I'll be right there."

His words made my stomach tighten. I already knew the answer, even before he returned to the table.

Damien grabbed his jacket, preparing to leave.

"Damien?" I called out to him, even though I already knew I wouldn't like his answer.

He glanced at me as if just realizing that I was still here.

"I have to go. It's important," he said simply.

I put down my fork and knife. "Who called?" I asked, not taking my eyes off his face.

Damien seemed to hesitate for a moment, as his eyes kept moving, silently looking at me. However, he finally boldly answered, "Selene."

Her name simply fell from his lips, hitting my chest like a boulder.

I smiled a little, though it was far from happy. "Selene?" I repeated, making sure I hadn't misheard.

"She's sick, Althea."

I stared at him, waiting for him to realize how absurd this was. "So?"

Damien frowned. "She's also starving."

I could hardly believe what I had just heard. "She can order food, Damien. You don't have to go there."

"She said she couldn't leave the house, Althea," Damien replied, continuing to defend Selene.

"Order food delivered straight to the house, Damien. She doesn't need to go out," I said in an annoyed tone.

"Why can't you understand, Thea? Selene is sick. She's home alone," Damien said, raising his tone slightly.

I was silent for a moment then, smiling wryly. What did he just say? I don't understand, it's so funny.

"So, you're going to leave your girlfriend at the restaurant, in the middle of dinner, just to deliver food to your ex-girlfriend?" I asked with a sharp look.

Damien sighed, looking impatient. "She needs help, Thea," he replied.

"But I'm also here." My voice was almost a whisper.

He was silent for a moment then, rubbing his face. "I promise I'll be back as soon as I can."

I laughed bitterly. "If I was sick and starving, would you also leave someone for me?" I asked while shaking my head faintly.

He didn't answer.

And, that's when I knew the answer.

I looked down at my untouched plate and then back up at him. "Go away."

Damien looked at me, probably thinking I was testing his patience. However, I wasn't joking.

I wondered if he would leave.

Damn it. He did leave. Without apologizing, without looking back.

I remained sitting there, in a restaurant full of laughing people, feeling like the only fool in the room.

I sat in the living room, staring at the clock on the wall that kept moving forward. It had been more than three hours since Damien had left me at the restaurant. I'd tried to contact him many times, but my calls were never picked up.

My cell phone lay on the table, the screen repeatedly showing missed calls making my chest feel even tighter. I shouldn't have waited for him. I knew that. Yet, part of me still hoped he would come home with a reasonable explanation.

Just when I was about to give up and go to sleep, the front door opened. I quickly stood up, but my steps stopped when I saw the figure that entered with Damien.

Selene.

She looked weak, leaning against Damien with a pale expression on her face. Her long, flowing hair was a little messy, giving the impression as if she had just had a rough night.

However, that's not what makes my chest tighten. As Damien closed the door and helped her walk in, Selene glanced at me, and there, behind her fragile expression, I saw something different. A smile. Fleeting, small, and triumphant.

I clasped my hands together.

"Damien," I called, trying to remain calm despite my inner voice screaming. "What does this mean?" I asked, waiting for an answer.

Damien looked at me for a moment, before refocusing on Selene. He helped her sit on the sofa carefully as if she was made of glass.

"I can't leave her alone, Thea," he replied in a tone as if it was the most sensible thing in the world. "She's still sick," Damien said again with his eyes on Selene's face.

I pressed my teeth together. "You can take her to the hospital, or have someone look after her. Not bring her here Damien," I said with an unhappy face.

"Althea, I can't leave her alone in this condition," Damien said. His face seemed to say that he liked what I said.

"You even left me alone at the restaurant," I snapped, unable to contain my anger.

Damien let out a long sigh, like someone who was exhausted from an argument that he thought was unnecessary. "This isn't about you and I. This is about Selene needing help."

I laughed sarcastically. "So, what about me? I waited for you for hours, called you countless times, and you didn't even care."

"Don't be selfish, Althea!" he said, raising his tone slightly.

I gasped. Those words were like a slap to my face.

Before I could reply, Selene took a deep breath and tried to get up. "Damien, I shouldn't be here. Althea was right. I'm just inconveniencing you," she said softly with a voice full of resignation.

I knew what she was doing.

Damien immediately restrained her, pressing her shoulders to sit back down. "Don't push yourself."

Selene smiled weakly. "I'm fine... You shouldn't have brought me. If anything happens to me, it's not your responsibility," she said with a face made even sadder.

I looked at her with narrowed eyes. She played her role perfectly.

"Selene," Damien said in an emotional tone. "Don't talk like that. I can't stay silent when I know you're sick."

"Sick?" I snorted. "I don't see her as half-dead, Damien. If she can stand up and talk like that, I'm sure she can go home by herself." I said in an annoyed tone.

"Althea!" Damien's voice raised, making my chest feel even heavier. "Can you stop being so heartless?" he said with a sharp look in his eyes.

I fell silent. Couldn't believe that this was happening.

Selene bit her lip, bowing her head as if feeling guilty. "I... I don't want to be a problem between you guys."

I stifled a laugh. I was almost amazed at how perfectly she played the role of a hurt woman.

Damien shook his head and crouched down in front of Selene, taking her hand gently. "Don't think like that. I just want you to be okay."

My heart sank.

I had been with him for five years. I waited for him, and understood his every excuse and his busy schedule, but not once did he ever look at me with that kind of gaze. The thoughtful gaze he was now giving Selene.

I took a deep breath and turned around. "Do as you please, Damien!"

I didn't care anymore. If I stayed here, I didn't know how long I could survive without breaking.

I walked past them, heading towards my room without turning around.

For the first time in this relationship, I felt like a stranger in my own home.

I woke up with my head a little heavy. For a moment, I reached out to the side of the bed, but all I found was a cold mattress. Damien wasn't there.

A strange feeling tickled my chest, but I tried to ignore it. I got up, walked to the bathroom to wash my face, and then, stepped out of the room.

Once downstairs, the smell of cooking filled the air. I pause for a moment. Normally, Damien rarely cooked for himself, except for me. But today...?

My steps stopped in the doorway of the dining room.

Damien is standing in the kitchen, stirring something on a pan and then, pouring juice into a glass. Meanwhile, at the dining table, Selene sat relaxed with a spoiled smile on her face. She's wearing Damien's white shirt, the one I often wear as a nightgown.

I clenched my fist.

Damien turned his head when he noticed me. "Are you awake?" he asked.

I nodded without answering. My gaze was still on Selene, who was now playing with the ends of her sleeves while smiling at Damien.

"I forgot to make breakfast for you because Selene is very hungry," Damien said as he placed a plate in front of Selene.

I fell silent.

In the five years I'd been with him, Damien had never done that for me, I'd always served and he'd just enjoyed the food.

But today? He could do that because Selene was hungry.

"Althea, aren't you eating with us?" Selene's voice sounded soft, but I could feel the satisfaction hidden behind it.

I shifted my gaze to her. "No."

Selene lowered her head slightly. "I didn't know that you wanted breakfast made too. I just told Damien that I was very hungry, and he made his move. I didn't mean to-"

"That's enough," I cut in, giving her a sharp look.

Damien frowned. "Althea, there's no need to yell at him like that. Don't get me wrong, Selene just recovered, so I'm just helping her. You can make your breakfast, right?" he said so casually.

I chuckled softly. So, now I have to cook by myself because Selene needs his attention more?

I looked at Damien for a long time, searching for the slightest hint of guilt, or realization in his eyes. However, all I found was his flat expression, as if I was just a shadow in this room.

I took a deep breath and then, exhaled slowly.

"I don't need breakfast with you guys," I said before turning around and walking away.

Damien doesn't hold me back. Didn't ask if I was okay. Didn't try to explain. As if I wasn't important to him.

***

I stood by the pool, letting the wind hit my face. It took me a while to calm down after what happened earlier. But apparently, calmness wasn't something I could get today.

Light steps were heard approaching then a familiar voice followed.

"Althea, you're really lucky to have survived five years with Damien," Selene said in a disgustingly sweet tone.

I turned my head with both hands clasped in front of my chest.

"I didn't expect her to last that long."

I didn't react, still in my original position. I knew exactly where this was going.

Selene came closer and then stopped beside me.

"In the past, Damien always picked me up after work. Does he do that for you too?" she asked with a mocking look on her face.

I let go of my hands that were in front of my chest and let them clench at my sides.

"Does he also stroke your hair whenever you fall asleep in his car?" he continued in a tone full of false nostalgia.

"And, does he also hold you close when it rains, as if you're the only person who matters to him?" he said with an unusual smile.

I averted my eyes, trying to ignore the pain that was starting to gnaw at my chest. It wasn't that I didn't want to fight, it was just that I was too lazy to fight with a woman like Selene.

Selene chuckled softly. "Ah, I forgot. That was back then when I was the only woman in his heart. Before I left and gave you the chance to replace me temporarily."

My eyes narrowed, but remained calm. "Temporarily?"

Selene smiled with satisfaction. "Yes. I left, and you took my place. But now I'm back, and see for myself who he prefers."

I bit my lip, holding back the anger that was about to explode. I didn't want to give her the satisfaction of seeing me angry. But, she didn't stop provoking my emotions.

Selene moved her face forward. "Do you think Damien loves you? No, Althea. You're just my replacement," she whispered in a sharp tone, right in my ear.

"Someone he kept around because I didn't exist. And now I'm here. Then, what does he still need you for?" he said with a laugh.

She shook her hair. It didn't look like she was sick.

My heart sank. I shouldn't let his words mess with my mind, but part of me knew that there was truth in them. Damien has indeed changed since Selene came back. He was no longer the man who always made sure I was okay. And I hated that fact.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down, but Selene only became more aggressive towards me, her voice sounding full of satisfaction.

"You know what? Damien used to say that I was his home. His place to come back to. But after I left, he must have felt lost. And you... you're just a temporary stopover until he finds me again." she said with a competitive look.

I suddenly wanted to laugh. How ridiculous this woman was.

"So you think, Damien is just using me?" I asked finally trying to serve her words, looking at her with a flat expression.

Selene gave a small smile as she shrugged. "I didn't say that. But see for yourself. He brought me to his house without caring about your feelings. He would rather take care of me than spend time with you. This morning, he didn't even remember to make you breakfast."

The woman laughed with satisfaction.

My fist grew stronger. I felt like grabbing them. "And, that's a reason for you to continue being around him as a troublemaker?" I asked as I raised one eyebrow and smiled slightly.

Selene chuckled. "Althea, I'm just taking back what should have been mine in the first place."

I gave her a sharp look, but before I could reply, her facial expression suddenly changed. Her lips curled slyly, and before I could realize what was happening, she stepped back and then, suddenly threw herself into the pool.

"A-Althea!" Selene cried out, her voice trembling. "I... I'm sorry,"

I widened my eyes, my body stiffening instantly.

Shit!

Footsteps could be heard running over. I turned my head and saw that Damien was already there. His eyes widened when he saw Selene who was flailing in the water.

Without thinking, he jumped into the pool.

I could only stand still, my jaw clenched tightly as Damien pulled Selene to the edge of the pool.

Selene's body was soaking wet, her shoulders shaking as if she had just experienced something horrible. Damien helped her sit up, while his hands anxiously wiped her face.

"Selene, are you okay?" asked Damien frantically.

Selene coughed a little while nodding slowly. "I-I didn't expect Althea to push me," she said.

My eyes widened even bigger. "What?!"

Damien immediately turned to me, his eyes sharp and full of anger. "Althea! What are you doing?"

I stepped forward, unable to believe what I had just heard. "I didn't touch her! He pushed his own body," I said defensively.

"But I saw you guys talking before this happened!" Damien exclaimed. "Do you hate Selene that much to do this?" Damien said, not believing me.

I laughed sarcastically, not believing the accusation. "So now you trust her more than me?" I asked with an annoyed face.

Selene shook her head weakly. "Damien, I can leave here. I don't want to keep causing trouble between you guys. If I stay here, maybe Althea will continue to hurt me," she said with a trembling voice as if she wanted to cry.

My chest rose and fell with anger. I knew what she was doing. And damn it, Damien just believed it.

"If Selene leaves this house, then I'll leave too!" Damien snarled sharply.

I froze, feeling something inside me shatter into a million pieces.

Selene looked down, pretending to wipe away tears, while Damien helped her up and then, led her into the house.

I remained standing there, letting the cold wind hit my face, while the water in the pond still sounded a little noisy, a silent witness to the lie that had just happened.

I could only laugh. This was too much. I was fed up with all this.